Gere Deemed Sexiest Man Alive

Each year People magazine titles an issue "The Sexiest Man Alive," focusing on one individual

And it also includes the year's sexiest men from a variety of walks of life. This year's picks included Gap model Greg Payne and writer Po Bronson who both visit The Early Show along with the magazine's assistant managing editor, Liz Sporkin, to talk about the hotly anticipated issue.

Ever since his big role in An Officer and a Gentleman almost 20 years ago, Gere has been heating up the big screen.

Since then he has remained one of Hollywood's biggest stars, making a blockbuster out of Pretty Woman and leaving women everywhere longing for that kind of fairytale ending.

Gere landed on People magazine's cover in 1993 with Cindy Crawford as part of the sexiest couple alive.

To go through the selection process, People looks for sexy men in all walks of life all year round, Sporkin says.

"It's like looking for the man you're going to marry. When he comes along, you just know it. When he was in Run Away Bride this summer, we just knew it," she says.

The issue also cites the year's sexiest pop star, Backstreet boy Kevin Richardson; the sexiest athlete, New Orleans Saint Ricky Williams; and sexiest foreign actor, Oded Fehr.

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Author Po Bronson

"My writing takes me to Scotland or the oil fields of west Texas. I think it's exciting that that's what is getting reinforced," Bronson says.

"I think my mom is happy for me, to produce a son who is a sex symbol," says Payne, after being hailed as sexiest model.

And being named the sexiest man nver hurts, Sporkin notes. "They all have the same reaction. First they are amazed. The announcement is almost always greeted with laughter."

"Then they are flattered because there aren't that many men and then embarrassed...because they get teased. The title sticks with them forever," she adds.

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